


UNICEF Trip with Tom - First Meeting

by Titch433



Category: British Actor RPF, Thomas Hiddleston - Fandom, Tom Hiddleston - Fandom
Genre: Actor Tom Hiddleston, Anxiety, Fluff, Freeform, Gen, Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Tom Hiddleston Is A Sweetheart, Tom is a Sweetheart, unicef
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-14
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:46:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27566227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Titch433/pseuds/Titch433
Summary: Cute heart warming Ficlet based on the idea that you are on the trip to Guinea with UNICEF that Tom Hiddleston was on back in 2013. In this story the OC's don't know that Tom is a famous actor; this ficlet shows their first meeting, where Tom is just the adorable gentleman that we all love.
Kudos: 3





	UNICEF Trip with Tom - First Meeting

I was pumped for today, it was nearly three in the morning on a typical miserable rainy day in England, but even that didn’t stop me running to the door when the door-bell chimed merrily around my flat. Today I was heading off to Guinea with UNICEF and I was so excited about it. I had driven my friends insane with my constant conversations on the topic, but it’s not my fault, how could you not talk about something like this? It was incredible. My best friend understood completely and helped me pack for the trip. She made sure that I had everything I could possibly want or need; she truly was my best friend. I even found a sandwich wrapped up in my fridge with a note telling me to be careful, helpful, and to make sure that I took hundreds of pictures for her to see. In a way she was like a mother to me (at times).

This was my maiden voyage outside of England. At age twenty six I still hadn’t left the Country I call home-quite sad really. Growing up I never went on family holidays, and when I was on my own I was too scared to cross the border to Wales or Scotland and terrified of flying or going on a boat, so I’ve stayed in my little flat in High Wycombe for eight years. Ella, my best friend, was going to take me to Cardiff last year but ‘unforeseen circumstances’ stopped that from happening four hours before we were due to leave for a weekend of shopping and late night partying. We meant to rearrange but something always seemed to get in the way. We had said that we were going to go somewhere this summer together but now I’m going to Guinea and she decided that one trip away was most likely enough for me, which I had to agree with. That was a downside to this trip, Ella wouldn’t be with me. She wouldn’t be there to have a laugh with, to hold my hand when I got terrified and to talk nonsense with at every hour of the day. That had to be the worst part about this trip-no Ella.

Normally I would have turned down the idea of going on a plane for twelve hours to a scorching hot country, even with Ella, without hesitation. But working with UNICEF was a once in a lifetime opportunity and something I’ve wanted to do for years. I’ve wanted to go to places where the people weren’t as lucky as we were and help them and help improve their lifestyle. I could never pinpoint the precise reason or time that I decided that that was something I really wanted to do, all I could say was helping is in my DNA and I wanted to do that more than anything. Guinea wasn’t an ideal place for me because of the weather, but the circumstances in which I was going were, it’s not often that I get approached to do a project as big as this, especially not one that involved helping people as well. So I couldn’t really say no.

Ella was petrified for me. She sat me down and went through everything that would happen in detail to make sure that I was still happy to go through with it. She pulled out her laptop and looked up the length of the flight, the temperature in Guinea at this time of year, the jabs that I would need to have, all the things that I would need to take with me, the list went on and on. It was a good four hours that we sat there going through everything thoroughly. I didn’t tell her exactly how petrified I was, but I think she knew. There were hundreds of times that I wanted to back out, one of which was ten seconds after I had accepted the offer, but I knew that I couldn’t do that. Not this time. This time I had to face up to my fears and go on this trip, because I may never get the chance to go again.

Something which eased both of our nerves was meeting the people that I would be going out to Guinea with. I don’t think Ella was supposed to come with me to the meeting in London, but there was no way she was going to let me go on my own. Though it was made clear that she shouldn’t be there when she was refused entry-but she still tried. I still remember the man behind chuckling as Ella tried to reason with the woman at the door.  
“If you’re worried about her, I can promise to look after her.” We both looked to the man who owned the softest and kindest voice I had ever heard.

Ella began rambling about how she couldn’t trust him and how she was worried about me and, much to my surprise, he listened intently with a soft smile. If I had been him I probably would have been annoyed that I had to wait ten minutes while one girl argued with the woman at the door, knowing full well that I was going to be stuck with one of these girls for a week. I think I would have dropped out right there and then if I was him, I mean who in their right mind would want to go to Guinea with either me or Ella? But he was lovely about it, he actually wanted to help. Ella didn’t particularly want his help because for all we knew he was a murderer. To me he looked like the kind of guy you could trust, the sort that wouldn’t go back on his word, and he had been nothing but friendly so far. There was something about his blonde curls, blue eyes, and bright smile that made me trust him, and I don’t know why.

“Ella” I muttered softly, tugging the black sleeve of her hoodie. Her words immediately halted and she looked to me, a worried expression plaguing her face as though I had just told her that I had hurt myself. “I think…well, that is…that it may-just possibly, be alright.” I mumbled nervously, aware that the man’s eyes were on me as well as Ella’s and the woman’s who had been going on at us to hurry up for the last five minutes. She wasn’t particularly patient with the two of us, but I can see why, we weren’t exactly easy to deal with at the best of times.

“Fay” she exasperated as though we were about to begin the same argument we had just been having again.  
“If I can’t do this then how am I going to do the actual trip?” I asked, slowly building confidence in myself. If I wanted to go I had to walk through the wooden double doors by myself, no matter how scary it seemed. Ella sighed in defeat knowing that I was right and that she had to let me go, even if neither of us wanted her to.

“Just call as soon as it’s over and if something happens and you want to leave sooner call me and I’ll be here as soon as I can, okay?” She rasped on the verge of tears as her arms wrapped around me tightly. She hung on for dear life as though I was going to disappear as soon as she let go.  
“I promise I will” I replied returning her tight hug. I reluctantly let go forcing her to do the same.  
“Please promise me you’ll be okay.” She commanded stepping away from me.  
“I promise” I replied with a small smile before turning to the doors. Anyone would have thought that I was about to get on the plane by the way the two of us were acting, I guess that shows how insecure and nervous I am about everything and how protective she is of me.

I took a deep breath to steady myself as my shaky hand reached out to the door. This was it, just one small push and I’d be in. It’s so simple yet so hard for me to do. I wanted to turn back to Ella and go back to High Wycombe with her where it was safe. Where my bed was with pillows, a warm blanket, a nice cup of tea while watching Sherlock or reading a book. Somehow I managed to stop myself and convinced myself that I could do this (despite how lovely all that would be). After all it was just one door, leading to one weekend with a group of strangers; it’s not as if it’s anything big or scary…

My fingers brushed against the cool, freshly waxed wood tentatively. I slowly placed my palm against it letting out a shaky breath as I did. I pushed it gently causing it to stay exactly where it was and me to topple forward slightly. I could hear Ella’s voice in the distance and the soft chuckle of the kind man. I took a deep breath and tried again, my cheeks flaming red in embarrassment. How could everyone else do this on a daily basis? I managed to get the large door open on my third embarrassing attempt with a loud creak. As I stepped inside the large hall, full of groups of people, a large hand rested softly on my shoulder. I glanced to the man and his soft smile.  
“I’ve got an overprotective mum too” he joked. Perhaps this wasn’t going to be scary after all.

**Author's Note:**

> If you guys like this then I do have more of the story that I could add to this and make a small series from scenes that I've written with these characters on the UNICEF trip in Guinea. That would include the journey to Guinea, the arrival in Guinea, and several days in Guinea. Please let me know if you would be interested in this becoming a series.


End file.
